LPN/RN Charge Nurse - FT Overnights, Parkview Care Center

TITLE: LPN or RN Charge Nurse 

REPORTS TO: Director of Nursing 

Job Summary:
The primary purpose of this job position is to provide direct nursing care to the residents, and to supervise the day-to-day nursing activities performed by nursing assistants.  Such supervision must be in accordance with current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern the facility, and as may be required by the Director of Nursing Services or Nurse Supervisor to ensure that the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.

Qualifications: Must have a current/active LPN or RN license with the State of Minnesota. Must keep up with CEU’s for license renewal. Must know and understand Universal Precautions. The charge nurse is also required to have an ability to read, write and speak English, and complete and pass a state required background study form which checks for certain criminal convictions or serious/recurring maltreatment.

General Responsibilities:

• Direct the day-to-day functions of the nursing assistants in accordance with current rules, regulations, and guidelines that govern the long-term care facility.
• Ensure that all nursing personnel assigned to you comply with the written policies established by this facility.
• Periodically review the department’s policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc.  Make recommendations for revisions.
• Meet with assigned nursing staff, as well as support personnel, in planning the shifts’ services, programs, and activities.
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations concerning the activities of your shift as required.
• Cooperate with other resident services when coordinating nursing services to ensure that the resident’s total regimen of care is maintained.
• Ensure that all nursing service personnel are in compliance with their respective job descriptions.
• Participate in facility surveys (inspections) made by authorized government agencies as may be requested.
• Interpret the department’s policies and procedures to personnel, residents, visitors, and government agencies as required.
• Admit, transfer, and discharge residents as required.
• Complete accident/incident reports as necessary.
• Maintain the Daily Census Report and submit to the Business Office as required.
• Perform administrative duties such as completing medical forms, reports, evaluations, studies, charting, etc., as necessary.
• Complete and file required recordkeeping forms/charts upon the resident’s admission, transfer, and/or discharge.
• Encourage attending physicians to review treatment plans, record and sign their orders, progress notes, etc., in accordance with established policies.
• Receive telephone orders from physicians and record on the Physicians’ Order Form.
• Transcribe physician’s orders to resident charts, cards, treatment/care plans, etc., as required.
• Chart nurses’ notes in an informative and descriptive manner that reflects the care provided to the resident, as well as the resident’s response to the care.
• Fill out and complete accident/incident reports.  Submit to Director as required.
• Chart all reports of accidents/incidents involving residents.  Follow established procedures.
• Record new/changed diet orders.  Forward information to the Dietary Department.
• Report all discrepancies noted concerning physician’s orders, diet change, charting error, etc., to the Nurse Supervisor.
• Fill out and complete transfer forms in accordance with established procedures.
• Ensure that appropriate documentation concerning unauthorized discharges in entered in the resident’s medical record in accordance with established procedures.
• Perform routing charting duties as required and in accordance with established charting and documentation policies and procedures.
• Sign and date all entries made in the resident’s medical record.
• Prepare and administer medications as ordered by the physician.
• Verify the identity of the resident before administering the medication/treatment.
• Ensure that prescribed medication for one resident is not administered to another.
• Ensure than an adequate supply of floor stock medications, supplies, and equipment is on hand to meet the nursing needs of the residents.  Report needs to the Purchasing Coordinator and/or RN.
• Order prescribed medications, supplies, and equipment as necessary, and in accordance with established policies.
• Ensure that narcotic records are accurate for your shift.
• Notify the DON of all drug and narcotic discrepancies noted on your shifts.
• Notify the attending physician of automatic stop orders prior to the last dosage being administered.
• Dispose of drugs and narcotics as required, and in accordance with established procedures.
• Participate in employee performance evaluations, determining your shift’s staffing requirements, and making recommendations to the Nurse Supervisor concerning employee dismissals, transfers, etc.
• Inform the Nurse Supervisor of staffing needs when assigned personnel fail to report to work and assist in filling shifts.
• Report absentee call-ins to the Nurse Supervisor by completing the purple slip.
• Review and evaluate your department’s work force and make recommendations to the RN.
• Develop work assignments and/or assist in completing and performing such assignments.
• Provide leadership to nursing personnel assigned to your unit/shift.
• Make daily rounds of your unit/shifts to ensure that nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments in accordance with acceptable nursing standards.  Report problem areas to the Nurse Supervisor. 
• Charge Nurse may assist the residents with hands on care for all ADL’s as contained in the resident plan of care.  May be a second person for resident repositioning.
• Meet with your shift’s nursing personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or to improve services.
• Ensure that department personnel, residents, and visitors follow the department’s established policies and procedures at all times.
• Develop and maintain a good working rapport with inter-departmental personnel, as well as other departments within the facility to ensure that nursing services and activities can be adequately maintained to meet the needs of the residents.
• Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the unit and shift.
• Review complaints and grievances made or filed by assigned personnel.
• Make appropriate reports to the Nurse Supervisor as required or as may be necessary.  Follow facility’s established procedures.
• Receive/give the nursing report upon reporting in and ending shift duty hours.
• Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility’s policies and procedures governing accidents and incidents.
• Inform nursing personnel of new admissions, their expected time of arrival, room assignment, etc.
• Ensure that rooms are ready for new admissions.
• Greet newly admitted residents upon admission.  Escort them to their rooms as necessary.
• Participate in the orientation of new residents/family members to the facility.
• Make rounds with physicians as necessary.
• Requisition and arrange for diagnostic and therapeutic services, as ordered by the physician, and in accordance with our established procedures.
• Consult with the resident’s physician in providing the resident’s care, treatment, rehabilitation, etc., as necessary.
• Review the resident’s chart for specific treatments, medication orders, diets, etc., as necessary.
• Implement and maintain established nursing objectives and standards.
• Make periodic checks to ensure that prescribed treatments are being properly administered by certified nursing assistants and to evaluate the resident’s physical and emotional status.
• Ensure that direct nursing care be provided by a licensed nurse, a certified nursing assistant, and/or a  nurse aide trainee qualified to perform the procedure.
• Cooperate with and coordinate social and activity programs with nursing service schedules.
• Notify the resident’s attending physician when the resident is involved in an accident or incident.
• Notify the resident’s attending physician and next-of-kin when there is a change in the resident’s condition.
• Carry out restorative and rehabilitative programs, to include self-help and care.
• Inspect the nursing service treatment areas daily to ensure that they are maintained in a clean and safe manner.
• Administer professional services such as:  catheterization, tube feedings, suction, applying and changing dressings/bandages, packs, colostomy, and drainage bags, giving massages and range of motion exercises, care for the dead/dying, etc., as required.
• Use restraints when necessary and in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Obtain sputum, urine and other specimens for lab tests as ordered.
• Take and record TPRs, blood pressures, etc., as necessary.
• Monitor seriously ill residents as necessary.
• Ensure that personnel providing direct care to residents are providing such care in accordance with the resident’s care plan and wishes.
• Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.
• Meet with residents, and/or family members, as necessary.  Report problem areas to the Nurse Supervisor.
• Admit, transfer and discharge residents as necessary.
• Assist in arranging transportation for discharged residents as necessary.
• Inform family members of the death of the resident.
• Call funeral homes when requested by the family.  Ensure that established post-mortem procedures are followed.
• Review care plans daily to ensure that appropriate care is being rendered.
• Inform the Nurse Supervisor of any changes that need to be made on the care plan.
• Ensure that your nurses’ notes reflect that the care plan is being followed when administering nursing care or treatment.
• Review resident care plans for appropriate resident goals, problems, approaches, and revisions based on nursing needs.
• Ensure that assigned certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are aware of the resident care plans.  Ensure that the CNAs refer to the resident’s care plan prior to administering daily care to the resident.
• Maintain the confidentiality of all resident care information.
• Monitor nursing care to ensure that all residents are treated fairly, and with kindness, dignity, and respect.
• Ensure that all nursing care is provided in privacy and that nursing service personnel knock before entering the resident’s room.
• Ensure that all nursing service personnel are knowledgeable of the residents’ responsibilities and rights including the right to refuse treatment.
• Review complaints and grievances made by the resident and make a written/oral report to the Nurse Supervisor indicating what action(s) were taken to resolve the complaint or grievance.  Follow the facility’s established procedures.
• Report and investigate all allegations of resident abuse and/or misappropriation of resident property.
• Ensure that nursing staff personnel honor the resident’s refusal of treatment request.  Ensure that such requests are in accordance with the facility’s policies governing advance directives.
• Other duties as assigned. 

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